Maidenhead United 3-0 Chesham United

[Simon N]

Chesham:

1. Richard Hayward
2. John Kyriacou
3. Sam Ledger
4. Ollie Adedeji
5. Alex Duffy
6. Mark Lambert
7. Dave Fotheringham
8. Steve Wales
9. Danny Burnell
10. Adam Parker
11. Dom Marsala

Subs:
12. Leon Archer (for Parker 68 mins)
14. Simon Ellis (for Lambert 60 mins, booked 89 mins)
15. Joe Hatcher (for Fotheringham 68 mins)
16. Nick Leach
17. Luke Abrahams


Chesham went out of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup at the first time of asking. Against a strong Maidenhead side Chesham were well in the game until Maidenhead’s second goal on the stroke of half-time.

John Kyriacou, Adam Parker and Dom Marsala replaced Steve Obeng, Leon Archer and Darrell Cox in the starting line-up. Nine of Maidenhead’s starting eleven featured in their FA Trophy win over Bath City at the weekend. The early stages were fairly even, Richard Hayward blocking a powerful drive from Kieron St Aimie at the expense of a corner while at the other end Danny Burnell turned Alex Duffy’s free kick just wide of the near post. In the eighteenth minute a fine pass from Danny Burnell set Steve Wales away on the right, Wales crossed low into the area and the ball was turned into the net at the far post by Adam Parker. However celebrations were cut short by the linesman who had his flag up for an offside that seemed dubious to say the least. Shortly afterwards St Aimie turned a low cross from Daniel Brown against a post, then in the 25th minute Richard Hayward parried a fierce angled drive from Alex Wall and St Aimie netted the loose ball to give the home side the lead. Chesham came back and Burnell’s lay-off allowed John Kyriacou to run forward and fire in a shot that was parried by home keeper Chris Tardif, and the rebound came to Dave Fotheringham whose powerful shot was tipped over by Tardif. Chesham were still giving as good as they got, but in the last minute of the half a cross from the right by Brown was cleared by Sam Ledger, and Will Hendry picked up the loose ball and was allowed to run unchallenged into the area before shooting low into the corner.

Chesham rarely threatened in the second half, particularly after the wind got up and was in Maidenhead’s favour. On the hour Mark Lambert was stretchered off after a heavy challenge but was OK afterwards, then Chesham made a double substitution bringing on Joe Hatcher for his senior debut and moving John Kyriacou forward. Maidenhead’s Bobby Behzadi had a snap shot over the bar, and Jack Bradshaw turned a cross from Sam Collins just wide of the near post as the game meandered to a conclusion. In the closing moments a cross-shot from sub Leon Archer flew across the home goal, then in stoppage time Behzadi found space in Chesham area but Richard Hayward came out to block. In the fifth minute of stoppage time Bradshaw was injured in a challenge with Dom Marsala and was forced to go off, but the referee allowed nine minutes of stoppage time in all and in the final minute Alex Wall scored Maidenhead’s third with a dipping shot.